Poké Rangers: Apocalypse
by zaddock
Summary: Apocalypse and his band of Horsemen, armed with a mysterious weapon, have come to conquer Thera, the world of Pokémon. A group of young Pokémon Trainers are chosen to become Power Rangers - only they can stop the invading force.
1. Starters

_"Alpha, I have discovered a new threat to our galaxy. There has been a disturbance in the Power Grid."_  
_"Aye aye aye, Zordon. Aren't there enough troubles on Earth?"_  
_"Earth is safe as long as the Power Rangers are here, Alpha. But we must find someone to defend a distant planet from this new threat. It is far off now, but I feel that if its power is unchecked, it will go on to overcome the whole galaxy. Alpha, open communication with Ninjor."_

_"But Zordon-no one knows where Ninjor is-"_

_"He will be where he needs to be. Search for him in the Ecto 7 quadrant."_

_Alpha pressed a series of buttons on the command pedestal, flailing his hands with exaggerated movements. Static appeared on the communicator screen. The fuzz slowly resolved into the staunch, majestic face of Ninjor._

_"Old friend," Zordon addressed the screen. "It is time. Take your new Power Coins to the world of Thera."_

_Ninjor nodded solemnly._

* * *

Jack ran down the stairs. "Mom, mom, mom! Today I get my Pokémon! Today I get my Pokémon!"

She laughed warmly. "Of course. It's an exciting day, hon. Here, don't forget your running shoes."

"Can I go? Can I go?"

"Sure. Go right on ahead and make sure you get in line. I'll be right behind you."

Jack had turned 10 a month before, and today was the day when Professor Pine gave away starting Pokémon to the town's youth, a new generation of Pokémon trainers. Excited, he ran out the door, still halfway through putting on his left shoe. As he approached the professor's lab, he was dismayed to find the other kids from the town already there, clamoring for their Pokeballs. He had wanted to be the first. He guessed he had overslept a little, but that was only because he couldn't get to sleep the night before. This was such an important day. He didn't want to screw it up. This first Pokémon would define him as a trainer. The bond he could form with this starting Pokémon would last the rest of his life. He had to make sure it counted.

Professor Pine surveyed the room, a smile in his eyes. "Calm down, everyone. Calm down. No one gets their Pokémon until 10:00. You're all a few minutes early. This is an important moment, and we must act in an orderly fashion. Children, take that as your first lesson as Pokémon trainers. Everything has a time and a place. Acting too quickly, without thought, will get you into trouble."

Jack pushed through the crowd and met up with the others. There were four of them in all. They were close friends, as they had grown up in Underbrush Town together. James, Trevor, and Cate stood around chatting excitedly

Jack's eyes went back to the clock on the laboratory wall, watching the second hand crawl toward the top. Right as the clock struck 10:00, punctual Professor Pine turned to address the gathered crowd. The four kids were clustered around his table with their friends, families, and others from the town behind them. Jack looked back over his shoulder to see his mom waving at him, a proud smile on her face.

"Good morning, everyone. This is the largest group of kids we've had in a long time here in Underbrush. This is an important moment in their lives. Today, each of these children will gain a lifelong friend, a companion. The road of a Pokémon Trainer is long, and they have much to learn. The Pokémon they acquire today will aid them in this journey. A Pokémon is not a tool, only to be used for battle. It is a partner, to be loved and respected. Only through learning this will the children of our town become great Pokémon Trainers. These children are our future Gym Leaders, and there might even be a Pokémon Champion in our midst." The crowd began to clap as the kids stood proudly, if a little impatiently.

"Without any further ado, the presentation of the Pokémon." He pulled out a case and set it on the table, opening it to reveal four Pokeballs inside. "I have gathered these Pokémon from all over. Some were particularly difficult to obtain. But they have been selected with care. As of today, they are yours-you are free to name them. James, take this." He handed one of the Pokeballs to James, who turned around as the crowd backed up to clear the area. James threw the Pokeball to the ground, and out came a Growlithe, calmly licking its paw. Ryan knelt down, patted its head, then stood up again proudly. "A strong fire Pokémon. I like it," he stated, calling the little dog back into its Pokeball. "I'll call him Shisa, a mighty guardian."

"Trevor, this one is for you." Pine held out the next Pokeball. Trevor took it and spun around, lobbing the Pokeball into the air. It hit the ground, opened, and out came a tiny Azurill, crying a fountain of tears and bouncing on its oversized tail.

"Oh, you poor thing" fawned Trevor. "Come here, sweetie," he said as he wiped his new Pokémon's tears away. He was rewarded with a faint smile. "You're such a pretty blue. I'm calling you Celeste. We're going to be good friends, Celeste."

The third Pokeball went to Cate, who found a fluffy Mareep inside. With a smile, she reached down and picked it up, cradling it in her arms and burying her face in its golden yellow fur. "Argo, your name is Argo."

With one Pokeball left, Jack walked up to the table. Heart beating, he took the Pokeball in both hands. With intense determination, he threw it, picturing himself facing the Pokémon Champion. What emerged, to the crowd's surprise, was no more than a foot long. A small white bug Pokémon, a Nincada, crawled toward Jack, who hesitated before picking him up and exclaiming, "Thank you, Professor! He's perfect!" He put the diminutive Pokémon on his shoulder and looked back, smiling exultantly at his mother. "Mom, I'm naming him Semy, how does that sound?" Jack's mom flashed him a thumbs up in approval.

With the Pokémon distributed, Professor Pine called the four back together. "Ok, Trainers, you know what these are, yes?" He displayed four Pokédexes out on the table, one for each of them. "With these and your new Pokémon, you are equipped for the journey ahead. Remember to record information about all the Pokémon you meet. Remember, you need to go south to Axis City. There you can officially register as Trainers and stock up on everything you might need. With your Pokémon by your side, you will be ready to face whatever you find in the tall grass. Now come on, get out of here! Your journey awaits!"

The crowd cheered, then began to thin out as the new Trainers remained to say their farewells to their families. Jack's mother wrapped him in a tight embrace. "Be safe, Jacky. You have everything you need, right? Pokeballs, potions, socks? Don't forget to call. I can't wait to hear all about your adventures."

"Thanks, Mom. I'm gonna make you proud! I'm gonna be the best Pokémon Trainer there ever was! I love you!"

"I know you will! I love you too, Jacky!"

She continued to wave until Jack and the other three Trainers were no longer visible.

"Okay, guys, so what we need to do is head into Nightshade Wood until we find the river. We can follow that straight south to Axis." James was leading the other three Trainers as they left Underbrush and headed out into the tall grass.

"So why do we need to go to Axis, anyway?" Trevor asked. "We have our Pokémon, can't we just start challenging Gyms and catching Pokémon?"

"Did you listen to anything, you idiot?" Cate responded. "We're not registered Trainers. Professor Pine can give out Starting Pokémon, but he's not allowed to register us. We have to go to Axis for that. That's where we'll get our Trainer cards, and we need those to challenge Gyms and to buy things like Pokeballs."

"Okay…I guess I just feel like if I have a Pokémon, I'm a Pokémon trainer. Right?"

"You're both wrong," Jack piped up. "Being a Trainer isn't about paperwork, and it isn't about just having Pokémon. It's about your relationship with your Pokémon. It's about helping them grow and evolve, watching them become stronger, bonding with them through battle." Unlike the others, Jack didn't have his Pokémon in its Pokéball. Semy was still perched on Jack's shoulder, its tiny wings fluttering inconsistently.

The two of them sighed at Jack's preaching, but they were interrupted by James, who was ahead of them in the grass.

"Shh! There are some wild Pokémon up here. We can battle and try to catch them. Get your Pokémon ready." James was calm yet tense, ready to engage in a battle. He led the young Trainers into a small clearing where they saw a large nest balanced in the branches of a tree. Broken egg shells littered the ground, and coming from the nest was a cacophony of squawking.

"What are those guys?" whispered Trevor.

Cate had already pulled out her Pokédex and pointed it up at the nest. The display came to life and displayed a small, red-hooded bird. "Fletchling," it read across the top of the screen, "Tiny Robin Pokémon."

"They're so cute," affirmed Trevor.

"And they should be easy to catch," agreed James as he readied his Pokéball. As soon as he had finished speaking, a mighty screech came from above them, and a flaming bolt of claws and feathers plummeted toward them.


	2. Friendly Fletchling

_"Master Apocalypse, we've finished loading the specimen onto the ship."_

_"Perfect. Thank you, Namor. The pieces are coming together. Let me see our...collection."_

_"Right this way."_

_The Atlantean strode purposefully down the hallway to a room containing a holding cell and lots of scientific equipment. The cell in the middle of the room was full of slithering, black substances. They crawled up the sides of the cell only to tumble back down into the writhing mass. Tendrils lashed upwards, trying to escape, but they were always pulled back down by their spiteful brethren._

_"It's terribly beautiful, isn't it?" Apocalypse mused. Namor remained silent. "And it holds up to the tests?"_

_"Yes, sir. This is the same symbiote we've seen before. It strengthens, enhances, and corrupts. It will prove a very useful tool."_

_"Yes. Yes, it will. Now, we continue to Thera."_

* * *

James jumped out of the way, barely avoiding a pair of fiery talons. As he rolled away, he threw his Pokéball, "Go, Shisa!" The loyal Growlithe leapt out of the Pokéball, protecting his Trainer. Argo and Celeste were also sent out to defend against their assailant. The four amateur Trainers and their young Pokémon looked so pitiful against the majestic bird, fiercely guarding her nest. Cate scanned it with her Pokédex: "Talonflame, the Scorching Pokémon."

The Talonflame hovered in front of her nest, a majestic hawk with brilliant red flame patterns on her wings. James quickly took command of the situation. "Cate, Shisa isn't much use here. This Pokémon is obviously a Fire type; I don't know how effective we'll be against it. Your Mareep will have a much better chance. Have you figured out what moves it knows? Try something Electric."

Nervous, Cate put away her Pokédex and directed her Pokémon. "Argo, paralyze it with a Thunder Wave attack!" Electric energy emanated from the wooly sheep, traveling through the air toward the Talonflame. The wave hit the bird, and her wings locked up. She stopped flapping and tumbled to the ground.

"Now, catch it!" James yelled at her. "Quick, before it recovers!"

Cate, still looking nervous, rummaged in her bag for a Pokéball. Finding one, she tossed it at the paralyzed bird. With a flash of light, the ball closed around the Talonflame and began to shake. Once, twice...and then with a shatter the bird broke out of the ball, screeching angrily. It began to flap its wings, stirring up a vortex of flame.

"Run!" James tackled the other kids into the surrounding brush. The Trainers and their Pokémon scrambled away, putting distance between them and the protective mother Talonflame. They continued to run, through the tall grass, until they reached a path. Hoping they'd run far enough, they sat down by the side of the road next to a signpost:

"Route 1

Underbrush - Nightshade"

It wasn't until then that Trevor noticed the baby Fletchling on Shisa's back. "Hey James, look at that! You've got yourself a stowaway."

James looked at the little red bird in astonishment. "Wait, what is this doing here? I didn't battle or catch it, why did it follow us?"

"It must've fallen out of the nest and hitched a ride on Shisa. I think he likes you," Trevor noted. The Fletchling was happily chirping a tune. "On second thought, he doesn't seem to miss home too much. Maybe he didn't fall-maybe he jumped out on purpose. Either way, looks like you've got a new Pokémon."

"I...guess so. I didn't think it worked like that. I didn't catch it."

"Humans have always befriended Pokémon, even before Pokéballs," Cate proffered. "They certainly made things more convenient, but they're not the only way to create a bond. You think of Pokémon too much like weapons. Remember what the Professor said."

"She's right, James," Jack pitched in. "Befriending Pokémon is more important than catching them."

"Sheesh, okay, yeah, I get it. I somehow accidentally befriended a Pokémon. I get that I'm supposed to raise it, but I just don't see myself ever using it to battle. Shisa is much stronger."

"How you train your Pokémon is up to you," admitted Jack, "but just remember, they're friends, not tools."

"All right, we're officially done lecturing me." James pulled a Pokéball from his bag. He opened it and let the Fletchling hop in. He strapped the Pokéball to his belt and headed down the path. "Now let's get a move on. We're getting close to the forest. We can have lunch when we find the river."

The four Trainers set off along Route 1. James was in front, his red cap covering his messy brown hair. It was a beautiful day, and the friends walked in silence, the bright sunlight shining around them. Jack was a few paces behind the other three, aimlessly chatting with his Nincada. He could envision the rest of his journey unfolding before him. There were so many Pokémon for him to catch and befriend, so many adventures to have. And his Semy would be with him the whole time.

"And then we can go catch Legendary Pokémon together, Semy…"

Up ahead, Cate and Trevor exchanged a meaningful glance. Jack's enthusiasm was contagious; his eagerness was refreshing after James's hardcore approach to being a Trainer. James's only goal was to be the Pokémon Champion. Jack just wanted to meet Pokémon.

"So...Trevor, why do you want to be a Pokémon Trainer? What do you want to accomplish? What do you want to learn?"

Trevor smiled. "I'm actually really interested in Pokémon trading."

"Oh, that sounds cool!" Cate enthused.

"Yeah, I mean, by seeing what people trade, you can see how valuable certain Pokémon are. It's kind of a cool idea. What makes Pokémon more valuable than other Pokémon?"

"I like that, Trevor. You know, you're not as dumb as you look."

Trevor glared at her with his dark blue eyes. "Hey, just because I'm not a nerd, doesn't mean I can't be smart, too."

Cate flushed, her fair cheeks instantly turning red.

Wincing, Trevor apologized. "Sorry, Cate, I…that was rude. You're not a nerd. You're just really smart."

"Thanks," she muttered, her voice softer than before. "Sorry I called you dumb."

"It's all good. Now come on, your turn. I've told you my deal, and I think we both know what James and Jack are all about. What are your goals, Smarty Pants?"

"Well, I want to be a researcher," she admitted. "I want to study all kinds of Pokémon, see what makes them tick. I want to study their Types, their Moves and Abilities, their Natures. It all fascinates me."

"That's cool, Cate. You're going to be great at that. I know it."

"Thanks, Trevor."

James came to a stop as they reached the edge of the forest. "Ok, guys, here's Nightshade Forest. There might be some dangerous Pokémon in there. I think we should have a practice battle before we go in, just to make sure we're ready."

"Uh, okay, yeah, that sounds fun," agreed Trevor.

"Let's have a Double Battle," suggested James. "Trevor and me against Cate and Jack. Sound good?"

"All right, let's do it." Trevor pulled out his Pokéball, ready to throw. The four Trainers split up into two teams and faced each other. As Pokéballs flew, out came their Growlithe, Azurill, Mareep, and Nincada.

Jack was the first to give a command. "Semy, use Harden!" The tiny Nincada dug its claws into the ground and crouched, hardening its carapace.

"Ha. That won't be enough. Shisa, use your Ember attack!" The Growlithe lunged forward, fire starting to form in its open mouth.

"Stop him, Argo!" As before, waves of thunder began to emanate from Mareep's soft, golden wool, and Shisa was stopped dead in its tracks, its fire sputtering out.

"Celeste! Use your Bubble attack!" The Azurill spun around, sending frothy bubbles at Argo. They pummeled into him, knocking the sheep over.

"Uh, Thunder Shock!" Cate yelled to her Pokémon. He got up and glowered at the Azurill. Static built up in its wool and started sparking out toward Celeste. "Reep!" he yelled as electricity arced to the Azurill, knocking her out completely.

Trevor gasped. "No, Celeste! Return."

James, fuming, finally got a response out of his Pokémon as the paralysis wore off. "Shisa! Use your Bite attack!" The Growlithe lunged at the exhausted Mareep, sinking its fangs into Cate's Pokémon.

"Argo! Hold on!" Cate yelled, but it was too late. Shisa released his bite, and Argo fainted. Head down, Cate called back her Pokémon.

It looked hopeless for Jack and his Nincada, but he continued issuing commands. "Semy, use Harden again, then attack with a Leech Life!"

James's Growlithe was weakened as its life force was sapped by the tiny insect.

"Argo! Ember!" The loyal puppy Pokémon obeyed quickly, summoning its reserve of fire to attack the Nincada. Gouts of flame issued out, enveloping the bug. When the fire passed, Semy looked unscathed. It had been protected by its iron-hard shell and healed with the Leech Life."

"Now, Semy! Go! Fury Swipes!"

The Nincada leapt into action, its claws zipping with furious speed. The Growlithe was caught completely off guard, and he fainted from the onslaught. James was seething. "Argo, return." He stepped forward begrudgingly to shake Jack's hand. "Perhaps...perhaps I underestimated you."

Jack shook his hand graciously. "Semy was lucky to survive that Ember attack. Your Growlithe is really strong. It was a good battle."

James snorted, clearly bothered by the outcome. "Yeah. I guess."

The Trainers fished out potions from their bags and restored their Pokémon. James, still upset, led the way into the dark forest.


	3. Into the Woods

_Inside the Team Celestial HQ, the lab was buzzing. Scientists rushed to and fro around the complicated electronic equipment. Inside large glass cases floated Pokémon, sedated and hooked up to webs of cords._

_Beheeyem. Clefairy. Starmie. Lunatone and Solrock. Deoxys._

_Saul paced the room cooly, a grim smile on his face. "Things are coming along well, I see,"_

_"Yes, sir. Our tests have all been very successful."_

_"Wonderful. Wonderful."_

_Saul walked out of the lab and strode back down the hall. He turned and headed to the launch bay, where he gazed lovingly upon his small fleet of starships._

* * *

The sun still climbing into the sky, the Trainers headed into the woods. Nightshade Forest was a vast swath of woods that cut across Thera like a scar. Situated north of Axis City, it was the barrier between the icy northern tundra and the rest of civilization. The forest was home to two towns. The main town was simply called Nightshade, like the woods in which it was sheltered. The townsfolk had adapted well to the dangerous forest, and their homes were entwined in the trees, some inhabitants even living in treetops. Its chemists were famed for their ability to take materials from the forest and craft them into Potions, Ethers, and other interesting items for Pokémon Trainer to use. The town's center was the Nightshade Gym, a Gym specializing in Poison types. Far in the eastern area of the wood was another town. It was a small, secluded town called Cobweb Hollow and featured a Bug-type Gym.

This ancient forest was home to many dangers. Poison and Bug Pokémon prowled stealthily, ready to prey on unsuspecting travelers. Entering Nightshade without a Pokémon of your own was incredibly foolhardy. Even with one, it was a dangerous prospect.

It was into this shadowy wood that James led his friends, Growlithe at his side. Shisa was letting out a low growl as he prowled ahead, sniffing and listening. Argo was also out of his Pokéball, his golden fleece emitting a soft glow, giving the group a measure of illumination in the dark forest. Jack, as always, took up the rear, his Nincada perched on his shoulder. They were both looking around nervously.

Even when they couldn't see any Pokemon, they could hear rustling all around them in the bushes. After they had traveled for awhile, off to their right, the rustling got louder and more urgent. An angry Kricketune jumped out of a nearby bush and attacked Shisa.

"Trevor! Help me take this guy down. Jack and Cate, watch our backs," directed James.

"We can do it, Celeste!" Trevor cheered as he sent out his Azurill. The Kricketune had lost no time and was already battling aggressively with Growlithe. "Use your Tail Whip!"

Celeste bounced forward, spinning around and smacking the Kricketune with the ball of its tail. It was enough to distract the giant cricket while Shisa laid into it with a Take Down. He tackled the Kricketune to the ground.

"Yes! Good teamwork, guys. Now together, finish him off. Shisa, Ember!"

"Celeste, Bounce!"

The Azurill sprung into the air and landed on the Kricketune right as it was blasted full on by a spout of fire from Shisa. Celeste turned back to Trevor, beaming. Her little face sported a grin, and she hopped back to Trevor as he called her back into the Pokeball. James and Trevor high-fived each other, and they headed on into the woods.

The four Trainers eventually found their way to a clearing, but James instantly came to a halt as they started to enter. Hanging from branches, strung between trees, and nestled in roots, were dozens of cocoons. Kakuna, Metapod, Silcoon, Cascoon, Pineco, Burmy, Swadloon. It was some sort of Bug Pokémon hatching ground. And as they realized what they had found, they began to hear an angry buzz rapidly approaching them.

"Crap," muttered James as he began to run. "We need to get to that river, fast." He threw a Pokéball in front of him. "Fletchling, fly up so you can see the river, then take us there. I don't know what that sound is, guys, but it doesn't sound happy. Run!"

They ran through the bramble of the forest as Fletchling flitted delightfully ahead of them, oblivious to the panic the Trainers were feeling. It deftly avoided branches, chirping an airy tune. The Trainers, on the other hand, were tripping, stumbling, and cursing. The buzzing sound was following them, so they kept running. Finally, the forest broke into a nice glade with a river running through it.

"Into the river!" James yelled as he plunged into the cold water. The others followed, while Fletchling flapped in lazy circles above them. "Send out your Pokémon to the bank for protection."

In flashes of red, their Pokémon were released. The Trainers were standing neck-deep in freezing water, their Pokémon loyally guarding the river bank. The harsh buzz continued to increase in volume until it was deafening. When it seemed it couldn't get any louder, a horde of angry Pokémon burst through the foliage. A wall of Beedrill, Vespiqueen, Dustox, Beautiful, Ledian, and other Bugs hovered in the air just past the treeline. For a moment, everything was excruciatingly tense. Then, satisfied that they had chased away the intruders, the Bugs withdrew back into the forest. The Trainers released the collective breaths they hadn't realized they were holding and scrambled out of the river.

"Well…that was close," James said and nervously laughed. The other followed suit until they were all in a fit of relieved hysterics. When they composed themselves, James continued. "Now that we've found the river, we should be able to find Nightshade Town. So let's break here for lunch and figure out where to go."

The Trainers dried off and sat down for a picnic with their Pokémon. After their long journey through the forest, it was a welcome respite. It also served as a great opportunity to laugh and play and bond with their Pokémon. James even seemed to enjoy watching his little Fletchling fly around. The sun, high in the sky, filtered through the light canopy of leaves and made for picturesque moment. Four children and their Pokémon.

It was a moment they'd have to cherish, as the world was about to become very dark.


	4. Evolution

_5000 years ago, Apocalypse walked the earth. Abandoned by his family, forced into slavery, rejected by his love. He was a man of immeasurable power. Born of a mutant lineage, blessed with strength of mind and of body, and in possession of advanced technology, Apocalypse was a god among men. He traveled the world, directing civilizations, watching them rise and fall. Alone he wandered the earth. Until he found a spacecraft of the Celestials. He was able to escape Earth, his accursed home. He hurtled through the galaxy and landed on a planet called Thera, a planet inhabited by strange creatures. He would build his throne here._

* * *

The next few hours were spent traveling through the forest toward Nightshade Town. Jack was again lost in his thoughts. The forest was home to such life. Yes, it was dangerous, and yes, they almost got murdered by angry bugs, but there was a beauty in the ferocity of it all. The Pokémon that had attacked their group had only been defending themselves and their own. The forest was dangerous but alive.

While the kids in front of him were chatting with each other, Jack was only listening to the chatter of the wildlife around him. He couldn't see any Pokémon, but he could hear them everywhere. Crawling, skittering, climbing, digging. He always seemed to understand Pokémon better than people.

While he was listening to the sounds of life around him, he heard a call of distress. It was quiet and plaintive, barely audible. But it was clear. Wasting no time, Jack darted away from the group and into the forest. After running through the bramble, he saw on the ground a small white Pokémon with tufts of red forming a halo around its head. Standing near it was someone dressed all in white and blue, his suit bearing an insignia of a star inside a "C". He had a Pokémon with him, a fearsome Gliscor flying back and forth in the air in front of him.

"Finish him, Gliscor. Night Slash. Then we can catch him and take him back to the lab."

Panicked, Jack directed his Nincada from its usual perch on his shoulder. "Semy! Protect it! Use Harden!" The cicada Pokémon leapt from Jack's shoulder and landed on top of the frightened Pokémon. Shielding it, Semy hardened her carapace just in time to take the brunt of the Gliscor's Night Slash.

"What are you doing here, child?" demanded the white-clad grunt.

"Stopping you. You're being mean to Pokémon!"

"You don't know anything. Gliscor, destroy both of them with an Ice Fang."

"Go, Semy! I know you can do it! Use Dig to protect yourself and distract him with a Sand Attack."

The Nincada began digging furiously with its powerful claws, sending up dirt toward the Gliscor. The vampire bat missed his attack, giving Semy time to finish their protective burrow.

"Nice! Keep distracting him! Mud Shot!"

While the Gliscor wheeled around for another attack on the two Bug Pokémon, Semy launched a ball of mud at him, furthering distracting him and lowering his accuracy. The Gliscor was now covered in sand and mud and was flying in a lopsided circle. The little white moth larvae joined in the assault from their bunker, nailing the Gliscor with a string shot attack. The Gliscor was infuriated but almost incapacitated.

"Okay, Semy, you're doing great! But we need to be on the offensive now! Hit him with Fury Swipes!"

As Jack gave this command, the rest of his group showed up, out of breath. When they noticed his disappearance, they followed him through the forest. As they arrived, they saw Nincada glowing white.

"Jack why'd you run off like th-wait, what's happening? Is Semy evolving?" Cate asked as she ran to Jack's side.

"Wh-I don't know. Looks like it. Awesome! Just in time, she needs it right now."

A dry husk was left in the burrow as a Ninjask flew straight up into the air, ruby red eyes and a golden shell. Its wings were a blur as it sped in circles around the Gliscor.

James looked in admiration. "She's using Double Team to make herself harder to hit. Smart. Jack, have her use Fury Cutter; it's a move she should know."

"All right, Semy, attack it with a Fury Cutter attack."

Chirping in approval, the Ninjask flew straight at the dizzy Gliscor, dodging a Fire Fang and scratching it repeatedly with its claws. As it was darting in and out, taking shots at the Gliscor, the trainers saw movement in the burrow. The discarded husk was glowing, and it floated up into the air. When the glowing subsided, they saw a living shell, a ghost of the former Nincada. It still had a hole in its back where the Ninjask had broken out. It drifted through the air toward the two battling Pokémon.

"Um...what's that?" Trevor asked, but Cate already had her Pokédex out.

"It's called Shedinja. Apparently they're sometimes left over when a Nincada evolves into Ninjask. It's a Ghost-type Pokémon."

The Shedinja blinked out of sight, vanishing into the shadows. It reappeared behind the Gliscor and drove its small ghostly claws into it, dropping the Gliscor to the ground. Embarrassed and infuriated, the opposing Trainer recalled his Gliscor and ran back into the woods, glaring behind him at the kids.

"Semy! Good job! You too, Ghost Semy." While the others were puzzled about how that evolution had happened, and why it had created an extra Pokémon, Jack was just happy that his friend Semy did well. He dug out two Pokéballs from his bag, one for Ghost Semy and one for his new friend, the small white Larvesta.

"Who was that guy?" asked Trevor.

"I don't know," responded Jack. "I just heard him terrorizing this little guy. I had to help."

"That was very kind of you, Jack. And very brave," said Cate.

"Yeah, that was a good battle. And look, now you have _three_ tiny Bug Pokémon, not just one." He meant it as a jibe, but Jack was smiling enthusiastically.

"I know! Isn't it great?"

James chuckled and said, "Okay, guys. Let's get a move on. We need to get to the town before nightfall so we can sleep in a Pokémon Center and get healed up. We can make it to Axis by tomorrow."

They continued south along the riverbank, James in front, Jack taking the rear-their usual formation. Their shadows grew long, and the world around them darkened as the sun dipped below the trees. Just after they could see the first stars in the night sky, they arrived at Nightshade Town. They eagerly made straight for the Pokémon Center. It was in the center of the town and wedged between two massive trees. Its tangled roots made for a sort of pathway leading to the entrance.

As they pushed open the heavy doors, they were promptly greeted by a friendly red-haired woman with a name tag that read "Nurse."

"Greetings, Trainers! Would you like me to heal your Pokémon?"

"Yes, please," Jack responded, speaking for the group.

"Wonderful. Let me see your Trainer Cards."

The friends exchanged worried glances.

"Uh...well, see, we don't have them yet. We're headed to Axis City to register. We all got our first Pokémon just this morning."

"Oh, well isn't that delightful?" the nurse beamed. "In that case, I'll make a special exception for you. Normally, I'd have to charge you since you're not registered Trainers. But don't worry about that, let's put your Pokéballs right in here." She took their Pokéballs and put them into some slots in a machine. "These should be done soon. In the meantime, you can speak with reception." She indicated to the other side of the room.

"Thank you, ma'am," Jack said as he followed the rest of the group over to the reception desk.

They pulled their money out of their bags to see how much they had between them. After rationing to make sure they had enough to get to Axis, they bought some hot dinners and a small room with four cots for the night. The Pokémon Center was tall and narrow, rising several stories. Each room featured an open-air balcony attached to one of the adjacent trees. The young Trainers were sitting on one of the balconies, drinking hot cocoa with their legs dangling over the edge, when a Crobat flew up to their level. Tied to him was a bag containing their Pokéballs. As soon as they took them out of the bag, the Crobat quickly flew away, back down to the ground level.

From their vantage point in the upper levels of the Pokémon Center, they could see the town sprawling out around them, built naturally into the forest. And if they turned their attention south, they could see distantly, beyond the break of the trees, lights of skyscrapers rising in the night sky. Axis City.

"There it is, guys. That's where we're headed. Tomorrow we'll be Pokémon Trainers for real." James gazed longingly at those city lights. His desire to train and battle Pokémon burned like a fire in him. Even after the others had gone to bed, he stayed on the balcony, Shisa's head buried in his lap and Fletchling perched daintily on his shoulder.


	5. Voice of the Forest

_"Saul, we've spotted something on our scanner. A foreign spacecraft is approaching the planet."_

_Two researchers were consulting with Saul in his office at Celestial HQ. They were on the top floor of the tallest building in Axis City. Fitting, for a man who so desperately wanted to travel to the stars._  
_"What? You're serious?"_

_"Yes, sir. It's heading toward our moon."_

_"I've waited so long for this. Is...is our spacecraft ready?"_

_"Yes, sir. The Deoxys data is proving as successful as we'd hoped. We're ready for space travel."_

_"Wonderful."_

* * *

In the middle of the night, Jack was awakened by a faint hum. He sat up in his cot, rubbed his eyes, and looked around. Nothing. All was still and dark. The hum came again, but as he focused, he could tell that it was a voice.

_Young Trainer_

It wasn't a voice that he could hear. He could feel it. It wasn't in his ear, but it was in his mind and heart. It was warm and soothing. But it was worried.

_You have come. We need you._

"What's happening?" Jack thought. "Me?" The voice heard his thoughts and responded.

_You. Trainer of bugs. You have a bond with your Pokémon, with this forest. We need you. You must come find me. Dark times are coming, but you can protect this forest._

"But...wait, I don't understand. I'm traveling with my friends to become a Pokémon trainer."

_The choice is yours, young trainer. You have two paths ahead of you. I implore that you choose correctly. In the morning, I will guide you to me if you choose to listen._

Jack wanted to respond, but the humming was gone. He lay in bed, wondering what had happened, wondering if it had just been a dream until eventually he drifted back to sleep.

The morning came gently. From their hut in the trees, they were able to see the rays of the sun wash over the forest. Jack, remembering his dream, was silently contemplating what to do while the Trainers got ready for the day. They headed down to the main floor of the Pokémon Center, where they were greeted once again by the overly friendly nurse.

"Good morning, weary travelers! Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, we certainly did," responded James. "Thank you for your hospitality."

"We hope you return!" She smiled and waved as the Trainers left the Center.

As they prepared to leave Nightshade and travel south to Axis, Jack spoke up.

"Um, guys? This is going to sound weird, but...I can't go with you."

He was met with three blank stares.

"...what do you mean?" asked Trevor.

"I have something else I need to do. I...I don't know exactly what it is, but it's something." He continued to relate what had happened to him, the voice he heard, and the feeling it gave him. "It...it seemed really important. And it feels right. It feels like what I need to do."

"You can't go alone!" protested Cate.

"I'm not alone. I have my Pokémon," stated Jack. "I have a feeling we'll be all right."

"Well, I think you should do what you feel you need to," James said, clapping his hand on Jack's shoulder.

He looked at him respectfully. "Thanks, James. You're going to be a great Trainer. I know it. And thank you, Cate. You're so kind. And Trevor, I'm going to miss you. Bye, guys. I need to go now."

And with that, he trekked out into the forest, heading east.

Hours later, as the other three Trainers were making good headway through the forest toward Axis City, the Trainers were interrupted by a rustling. Based off their past experiences, everyone instantly readied themselves for battle. Shisa growled defensively as he guarded James, and the other Pokémon likewise faced the rustling bush. Out through the foliage skittered a miniscule yellow spider. After a slight pause, Cate erupted.

"It's so cute!" she squealed, falling to her knees next to it. It climbed up her arm, then hopped onto her Mareep. Argo looked perturbed. He didn't take kindly to his unwelcome tenant. Cate didn't seem to notice his discomfort. "Look at how fuzzy he is! He's adorable." Ever the scholar, she whipped out her Pokédex.

"Joltik," the device read, "The Attaching Pokémon."

"Well, I'm certainly attached to him," she confessed. As she fawned over her new discovery, the Joltik bit Argo, sending him into an apoplectic fit. It jumped around, trying to shake off its assailant. Cate stomped her foot. "No! You need to be nice," she yelled to the both of them. "Joltik, no biting. Argo...you can hit him back. That's what he gets. Besides, I need to catch him anyway, so you might as well battle him."

The other Trainers watched the whole exchange with not a small amount of amusement.

"Just a Tackle attack, Argo. We don't want to hurt him too badly," she commanded.

The bothered Mareep pounced on the tiny arachnid, basically flattening him.

"Okay, that's enough," she said, pushing Argo off of the little Joltik. She rolled a Pokéball at him, and after shaking a few times, the Pokémon was caught.

"Yes! I caught my first Pokémon! And he's adorable." Her Mareep did not look particularly amused.

"Way to go, Cate," encouraged Trevor. "That was...kind of hilarious to watch. But I'm happy for you. Jack would've loved that."

Cate grew silent for a moment. "Yeah. He would've, huh? I wonder how he's doing? That was so strange. I wonder what that dream meant."

"He knows what he's doing. I trust him," said James. Cate and Trevor exchanged one of their glances. James never really seemed to get along with Jack. They were complete opposites and had very different ideas about Pokémon. But James seemed supportive of Jack's decision.

Hours after they had left the forest, they found themselves at the great city of Axis. They walked through the gates and were astonished at the sights. Vendors of strange food lined the streets. Taxicabs weaved in and out of traffic. Skyscrapers rose up, seemingly competing with each other. They tried to hail a taxi. James stepped out into the street and boldly waved his hand. He was eventually able to flag one down, and they piled in. James asked to be taken to the Pokémon Headquarters. With a grunt from the driver, they were off. As they drove, the Trainers watched, enraptured, out the windows. So many lights and sounds.

After a few minutes of driving, they pulled up to the curb in front of the Pokémon Headquarters. They hopped out of the cab, backpacks in tow, and paid the cabby. James, followed by the other two, strode into the building. It was a massive, formal building of steel and granite. They approached the demurely smiling receptionist.

"Hello, children. How may I help you?"

"We're here to register," James said, straightening his back to look taller. "We're becoming Pokémon Trainers."

"Very well," she said, handing them passes. "Take these to the fourth floor, down the hall, third door on your right. There's a sign, you can't miss it."

"Thanks, ma'am," James said, leading his friends to the elevator. They stood in the elevator, excitement in the air. James kept bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet. They got out on the fourth floor and headed to the registration office. The woman at the counter looked remarkably similar to the receptionist downstairs.

"Registrants, take these forms," she said, motioning to some clipboards with her head while typing energetically at her computer. They did, taking the clipboards and filling them out. When they handed them back, she glanced over them quickly, her eyes scanning over the rims of her horn-rimmed glasses. "Very well, right this way." She gestured to a door leading to another office.

They walked through the door and were met by a friendly looking man in a lab coat. "Ah, new Trainers? Hello. Step right up. You have your Starting Pokémon with you, yes?"

They nodded.

"Yes, perfect. Let me see them."

They handed over their Pokéballs.

"And your Pokédexes."

They handed those over as well.

He put them all into slots in a machine, one Trainer at at time. Lights flashes, something beeped and chimed, and he returned the items.

"Congratulations. You are now registered. Here are your Trainer Cards, keep them with your Pokédex. You can scan those at any Poké Mart or Gym to show your identification. You're good to go. Catch 'em all!"

He shook their hands, and they left the office. Once they were outside, they all high-fived.

"Yes! Official Pokémon Trainers. Well, now I can work on becoming the Pokémon Champion," James said excitedly.

"Haha, of course you will," Trevor agreed, laughing. Cate just smiled.

As they headed outside, they passed a white-cloaked man in the lobby. He was wearing blue underneath his white cape and had a C insignia with a star in the middle.

Cate whispered, "Look! It's like the guy who Jack fought."

"You're right," said James. "Hmm...we might have to investigate that. I wonder who they are."


	6. Falcata

_"Earlier today, what looks like a meteor was spotted hurtling through the sky. Turning now to our correspondent at Team Celestial HQ."_

_"Thanks, Heather. I'm here with a scientist from Team Celestial, a prominent group of researchers, astronomers, and rocket scientists here in Axis City. Dr. Wilson, what is this meteor we saw in the sky today?"_

_"Well, we're not entirely sure, but we are observing it with our telescopes and monitoring it."_

_"The big question on everyone's minds is, where is this object headed? And what are the consequences?"_

_"Well, obviously, there is a scare that it will hit the planet and cause damage somehow, but it's looking like it will be captured by the gravity of our moon first. There's a good chance that whatever it is, it will hit the moon, not the planet. We should be fine."_

_"Thank you, doctor. Well there you have it. All we can do now is cross our fingers that this spacefaring meteor doesn't crash into our fair planet. Back to you."_

* * *

Jack walked through the forest, Semy on his back with her claws gripping his shoulders and Ghost Semy floating behind him. Periodically he'd hear the voice in his head, and it would seem to be coming from a certain direction. He didn't really understand how that worked, since he wasn't actually hearing any real sounds. But he continued to follow the voice. Semy knew what berries to eat, and that was enough for Jack for now.

Late in the day, as twilight fell on the forest, Jack heard the voice again, strongly. It pushed him onward. He was tired, but his legs kept moving. The voice called him to a rock wall covered in vines. Other than that, it seemed to be a dead end. The voice spoke loudly.

_Secret Power._

"Secret what? What is that?" Jack questioned, but as he did, he noticed that Semy was glowing faintly white. The glowing quickly subsided, but something had obviously happened.

"Uh, Semy...use Secret Power," he ventured, hoping that's what the voice had meant.

His Ninjask flew in front of him, glowing a pulsing green energy. As he did, the vines on the wall began to move. They crawled down and organized themselves into a ladder and in doing so uncovered the entrance to a cave high on the rock wall. Satisfied and curious, he braced himself and started to climb. He struggled up the cliff wall to the opening. He could feel that this was the source of the voice.

Sure enough, when he pulled himself up into the cavity, floating in the middle of a surprisingly large cave he saw a small green pixie. Its round head curved upwards into a point behind it. Its watery blue eyes gazed directly at Jack.

_I knew you'd come_

"Yes, I'm here. What do you want me to do?"

_Take it_

In front of him, in between Jack and the fairy, was a shiny black Pokéball.

_Protect. Protect the forest._

After imparting this command, the green forest fairy faded away. Jack approached the mysterious Pokéball. He pointed it forward, opening it, and out came a tall, bipedal, prehistoric-looking bug with scythes for its arms. Jack recognized it as a Scyther, although this wasn't Scyther's typical green. It was a dark black color that shone even in the shadows of the cave.

_Falcata_

The voice drifted in faintly.

"Falcata," Jack repeated. The black Scyther nodded grimly.

Jack left the cave, taking care to remember the surroundings and where the hideout was located. When he descended, Semy used Secret Power again to conceal the entrance. Falcata, his new black Scyther, led the way through the forest. They traveled together, taking seldom used pathways. They could soon see a small hamlet. Jack realized this must be Cobweb Hollow, the other town of Nightshade Forest. It was small and hidden from prying eyes by large spider web stretched between the trees. It was clear those spiderwebs were there for protection, and that protection was being tested.

A group of fierce wild Pokémon were attacking the webs. A massive Drapion was clawing at the webs with its huge mandibles. Beedrills darted furiously at the web, trying to break through. An Arbok was looking for a hole small enough to crawl through. From the other side of the webbed walls, inside the town, some Trainers and their Bug Pokémon were mustered, trying to fend off the attackers. An old man with an Ariados was leading their efforts at defense, and through the melee, Jack could also see a bulky Crustle and a stalwart Heracross. They were holding up admirably, but the pack of wild Pokémon was quickly unraveling the web.

Jack and Falcata looked at each other, and then they leapt forward into the fray. Jack directed Semy and Ghost Semy as Falcata cut his way through the wild Pokémon.

As they were running away, an old man approached the front "gate" with a companion Ariados at his side. The spider climbed up the webbed walls and started repairing what had been damaged in the attack.

Noticing Falcata, the old man addressed Jack. "So...the new Guardian of the Forest has come. Your timing was impeccable. Our web is strong, but it cannot withstand prolonged attacks. Come inside, let us talk at the Gym."

Jack followed the man inside, past the small militia of townspeople and Pokémon, to the Gym in the center of the city. Typical for Jack, none of his Pokémon were in their Pokéballs but were instead clinging to him, floating behind him, or walking next to him. They walked inside, and Jack saw a few Bug Trainers practicing their battling techniques and training with their Pokémon. The old man led Jack around the edge of the gym, to his office in the back.

"Please sit," he said, motioning to a chair as he sat at his desk. "Now, what's your name, son?"

"Jack, sir. I'm Jack."

"You don't like Pokéballs, do you?"

"I use them sometimes, but I like spending time with my Pokémon."

"I see. I see why Celebi chose you."

"Was that...is Celebi the green fairy?"

"Yes, I suppose that would be her. She protects this forest, but she's never been able to do it herself. She chooses someone to help her. And now it would seem that person is you."

"Yes, that sounds right. I want to do what I can to help."

"Good. That's why she gave you Falcata. He is a noble Pokémon, one of a noble heritage. Little is known about them, but it comes from a group of elite guardian Pokémon. Falcata is known as the Shadow of the Forest. He will serve you well, especially if you befriend him as you have your other Pokémon."

"Thank you, sir. So, um...I do have a question. What...do I do?"

"Ha, yes, a good question. Well, Celebi brought you here, so here is where you'll stay, at least for now. I'm the Gym Leader here, as you can see. My name is...you can call me Bauer. You will stay here and train at my Gym. If our town needs you - or if, more importantly, Celebi needs you, you will be ready to help."

"Thank you. That sounds fair. I'm looking forward to learning more about being a Pokémon trainer. And about being the Guardian of the Forest. I feel like I have so much ahead of me…"

"Yes you do, son. Let's get started."


	7. Moon Base

_The Hedera region contains 18 Gyms, one for each type of Pokemon. Every year the Gym Leaders compete among themselves to see who will become the Champion and Elite Four for the next season of the Pokémon League. Their respective Gyms will sit empty for that season. Challengers of the Pokémon League can compete against the Elite Four and the Champion if they earn 8 of the remaining 13 Gym Badges during the season._

_This year, the Elite Four spots were taken by the Electric, Water, Poison, and Dark Gym Leaders, and the Champion was the Leader of the Psychic Gym._

_In addition to competing in the Pokémon League, the Gym Leaders, Elite Four, and Champion serve as leaders and defenders of the region. Because the populace has such respect for Trainers who can so competently raise and train Pokémon, they are revered as political leaders. And, of course, their prowess in battling with Pokémon ensures their position as protectors of their people._

_As long as the Gym Leaders stood strong, Hedera would be safe..._

* * *

"What is happening?" Apocalypse roared at his lieutenant Namor, the Horseman of Famine.

"All our systems are failing. I'm not sure why. If we can't get them up, we're going to crash into this moon"

"Then get them working!"

As they spoke, a mysterious shadow, a flash of red, black, and white, flew across the window of their spacecraft. Neither of them noticed. Then they lost power. The ship was plunged into darkness, and the pilot couldn't gain control. They were plummeting straight toward the moon.

"Activate emergency protocol!" Apocalypse yelled, fuming.

As they neared the moon, the ship became to fragment, pieces getting ripped away into space. The remaining hull crashed violently into the surface of Thera's moon, leaving its passengers lying scattered on the surface alongside burnt scraps of twisted metal. Apocalypse was quickly on his feet, and as he stood, he saw the shadow that had crippled them.

Hovering in the air in front of them, a hulking phantom. A dark, twisting, amorphous body with grasping claws. A blood-red collar that looked like a gaping lower jaw, ready to devour. Piercing light-blue eyes underneath a plume of white, drifting fog.

Apocalypse charged at the phantom fearlessly, as he approached, he felt his power drained from his body. He reached for his telekinetic energy but found his his reserves empty. He was confused and unprepared for the shadow assault that the phantom unleashed at him. It knocked him to the ground, and as he struggled to get up, the phantom had disappeared. He turned to see the phantom flying away alongside what looked like a large blue swan with a crescent moon-shaped head, surrounded by pink rings.

Whatever those two creatures were had destroyed his ship, crippled his army, and robbed him of his power.

Days later, as they were working on cobbling together the remains of their ship into some sort of a fortress, Apocalypse was notified by Namor of an approaching ship. A small craft, blue and orange, headed straight for the moon and Apocalypse's little camp. It blinked in and out of sight, finally sputtering into a landing near the wreckage. Its cockpit opened and out came an elegantly dressed gentleman. He was wearing a grey pinstripe suit with a powder blue tie. His hair was dark but graying, and his eyes were the color of cold steel. He straightened his suit and declared, "Greetings! Who is in charge here?"

Apocalypse approached him, annoyed that he couldn't crumple the man's brain telepathically now that his power had been drained. "I am."

"My name is Saul," he said, extending his hand.

Apocalypse grabbed it warily. "I am called Apocalypse."

"Well, isn't that cheery," Saul said, smiling wrily.

"What do you want?" Apocalypse responded brusquely.

"I've come up from Thera to talk to you. We saw a ship coming, and I thought I might have a little chat with its captain. I believe that we might have business together."

"Follow me." Apocalypse led Saul to his makeshift command center. "Sit."

The two man sat facing each other across a small desk.

"What's your business?"

"Well, yes, I am a simple businessman, a scientist. I am a pioneer. My organization has been studying and investing in space travel. I grow weary of my planet. I wish for something loftier. You clearly already have something of that figured out. Although it appears your ship has encountered some difficulty, you apparently have the faculty for space travel. And that intrigues me. I would like to join you. I would like to study your technology and be a part of your...well, I guess that brings me to my question. What exactly are you doing here?"

Apocalypse furrowed his brow. In normal circumstances, he'd destroy this human, cyberkinetically repair his ship, and then go wreak havoc on that pitiful planet. In his current state, however, he'd need to make some compromises. But this human seemed malleable. He could be useful. So he might as well be honest with him.

"Small human, I have come to conquer your world. You say you have grown weary of it. Good, for it will soon be mine. And it will become a base of operations for my associates and me. This is merely the beginning of my conquest. I will expand from here to conquer the rest of the galaxy. If you can aid me in taking this poor planet, then you will be allowed to join my cause. You will travel the stars with us take over many planets. For every planet you grow weary of, there are hundreds more to conquer." Apocalypse knew he had this man's attention. Saul's slate-gray eyes were hungry.

"Very well. What do you require?"

"Resources. And information."

"I have both of those in spades. I run a successful corporation in the heart of Hedera, a large region of Thera. First and foremost will be equipping you and your people with Pokémon. Pokémon are-"

Apocalypse cut him off. "I am very familiar with Pokémon," he said, grimacing.

Saul hesitated before continuing, suspiciously. "I see. In that case, you can have your pick when you visit our labs. As far as information goes, it will be important to know what you're facing with this region."

Saul explained the structure of Hedera's Gyms to Apocalypse. They would be key to their plan. If Apocalypse were to take over, Saul said, then he would have to start by usurping the Gyms, Elite Four, and Champion. The Leaders were expert Pokémon trainers with access to powerful Pokémon. They would have launch a simultaneous attack on every Gym, and then they would be able to implement martial law and take command over the entire region and planet.

From the ramshackle moon base, the two devious leaders continued to draft a plan for the invasion of Thera.


	8. Fan Club

_Jack ran toward the marked tree, feet pounding into the soft dirt. He was breathing hard, putting each foot in front of the other with determination. It didn't matter. He wasn't more than a quarter of the way there before Falcata had made it to the wall and started back. He gave up and fell to his knees._

_"It's no use. I'm not fast. I'm not even faster than other people, let alone my Scyther."_

_"It doesn't matter, Jack. That's not the point. The point is that it is not sufficient for you to train your Pokémon. You must train _with_ your Pokémon. Now come on, get up. Let's go again."_

* * *

The Trainers, now officially sanctioned, had traveled south out of Axis City. The route meandered through some smaller towns and eventually led them to the Endless Savannah.

"We should get to Savannah Town if we follow this fork," James said to the other two Trainers. "That's where we can all get our first badge. Who's excited?"

Cate and Trevor groaned. "We're tired, and our feet hurt."

James looked crestfallen at their admission. He had been so excited ever since getting registered at Axis that he wasn't bothered that they'd been walking all day.

"Well...okay, we'll stop here for a rest. We can picnic here at the intersection, and then we'll make the rest of our journey."

The others happily agreed. They got out some food and let out their Pokémon to join them. James ruffled his Growlithe's fur as he fed him poffins. He growled contentedly. Cate's Mareep was still wary of her new Joltik although the friendly electric Bug always wanted to play with him. Fletchling was spiraling lazily through the air, chirping incessantly. Throughout the whole lunch, Trevor's Azurill stayed close to his side, whimpering quietly.

Trevor was worried about Celeste. She almost always seemed to be crying. He wasn't sure what she needed. He took good care of her and tried to show her support. For now, he just fed her lunch and stayed close to her.

Cate used the time to catch up on her Pokédex. She studied all of their Pokémon, noting the way that Argo's wool could generate static electricity. She observed the way that Celeste balanced on its big, bouncy ball of a tail and the way she always seemed to have a tear at the corner of her eye. She observed things like heights, lengths, mannerisms and diets.

As they were finishing their lunch and packing things up, another Trainer came walking up the road, headed toward Axis. They could see the Pokéballs on his belt. As he approached, James stood and made eye contact with him.

"Hey, you! Are you a Pokémon Trainer?"

"I sure am! Just got my first badge," the other Trainer replied, showing off a badge pinned to his jacket. It was a stylized to look like a leaf absorbing sunlight. "It's the Synthesis Badge, and I got it from the Savannah Gym. How many badges do you have?"

James tried not to show his embarrassment. "I don't have any badges, but I can still beat you in a Pokémon battle. I challenge you!"

The other trainer took a fighting stance and threw a Pokéball, releasing a stumpy snow-covered tree. "Go Snover!"

"Perfect. My Fire-type Pokémon are strong against Ice types and Grass types. This will be a piece of cake. Go Shisa! Hit him with an Ember attack!"

As soon as Snover came out, the air around them got colder, and seemingly out of nowhere, hail started falling from the sky. It battered into Shisa as he ran forward at the Snover. He planted his paws and let forth a burst of flame, melting through the hail in the air, causing it to hiss as it turned into water and then steam around it. It hit Snover head-on, throwing him backwards and causing him to faint.

"Yes! One-hit KO. It was super effective."

"Okay, now that it's hailing, go Castform!" He sent out a little gray ball that gathered the falling hail around itself, forming a protective coat of cloud and snow. Attack with your Weather Ball!"

An energy ball of icy wind hit Growlithe, dropping his health and knocking him to the ground.

"You're okay, Shisa. Get up and attack him with a Fire Fang."

Shisa's eyes were filled with steely determination as it shook off the snow that was forming on its fur. He ran straight toward the floating Castform, jumping into the air and biting into it with its flame-enhanced fangs. The super-effective attack dropped the opposing Pokémon.

"Way to go, Shisa! You did it!" The Growlithe was pleased with himself and ran to James for an approving pat on the head.

"Good match. You're Growlithe is really strong," conceded the other Trainer. "And he wrecked my Ice types. They helped me get this badge from the Grass Gym, but they're no good against Fire types. I guess we have to keep training if we want more badges."

The two shook hands and parted, James's opponent heading toward Axis City, and the three Trainers starting down the fork of the road that led to Savannah City.

"Way to go, James. That was an awesome battle," said Trevor. "You really do have a knack for it."

"Thanks, man. It's important to understand the effectiveness of different types of Pokémon."

"Yeah, I always get those mixed up," said Trevor. "Some make sense to me, but others just make me confused."

"You'll get it. Just keep practicing and you'll know them by heart. I know them because I've watched so many competitive Pokémon battles. I don't even need to think about them anymore."

"Maybe I'll get there someday," Trevor mused.

Eventually they arrived at Savannah City. It was a large city that commanded the grasslands. In such a vast field of grass, an unexpected city rising up out of the flat environment was a striking sight. It was a sprawling city, with no distinct city walls. Buildings were clustered around the city center and were randomly distributed outwards into the plain. Roads were wide, and there were a lot of plants and foliage throughout the city. It was wide, open, and airy.

The three Trainers walked into Savannah City. Although it was a huge city, it was less concerned with technological development and instead used more primitive forms of building and transportation. People rode by in chariots pulled by statuesque Sawsbuck or Gogoat. The buildings were mainly small wooden huts except for a few at the center of the city. Those buildings, including the Gym and Pokémon Center, were large constructs of wood, bamboo, and mud that seemed impossibly tall for how ramshackle they looked.

Trevor wanted to explore the city, and Cate wanted to see if there was a professor in the town, but of course James demanded that they go to the Gym first.

"Well, we can split up, James. You go to the Gym, and we'll wander around and explore a bit. I'm sure we'll make our way to the Gym soon, and we'll get our badges then. Besides, that way, you can give us advice on how to beat the Gym Leader since you'll undoubtedly have done it on your first try." She not so subtly played to James's pride. If he noticed, he didn't seem to mind.

"That is a good point. Okay, I'll go check out Gym and get the Synthesis Badge. You two explore, and we can meet up later and talk about what we've learned. Sounds like a good plan." With that, he promptly left and went straight to the Gym in the center of Savannah City. The other two started wandering around. They found themselves at the Pokémon Fan Club.

"Oh, let's go check this out," suggested Trevor, walking inside. They were greeted by a jolly old man in a top hat and monocle. A gruff Stoutland was at his side. The man and his dog Pokémon had matching moustaches.

"Welcome, young Trainers! Welcome to our Fan Club!" He greeted them effulgently, with open arms.

"Thank you," replied Cate, looking around. Trainers sat at booths and around tables, chatting with each other and sharing food and drinks, admiring each other's Pokémon. "What do you do here?"

"We love Pokémon! That's what we do! You'll find that a lot of our members aren't the kinds of Trainers who are going to end up as Gym Leaders or challengers of the League. They simply love their Pokémon and want to share that love with others. Why don't you talk with some of the members here? Oh, and you're just in time for our giveaway this month. It's an incredibly rare Pokémon called Feebas. She may not look like much, but she's a very sought-after Pokémon, especially for collectors. If you want to be eligible, you have to be a member. Care to register?"

"I'd love to!" replied Trevor. "This seems like a great place to meet other Trainers and learn about trading," he said to Cate. She nodded, encouraging him. The President had Trevor fill out some forms, scanned his Pokédex, and printed off a membership card for him.

Cate and Trevor sat at a table and let out their Pokémon, Mareep, Joltik, and Azurill. A couple came and sat next to them and showed off their Plusle and Minun, the twin electric mice. They chatted for awhile as their Pokémon played together. Trevor wiped away the ever-present tear from Celeste's eye and encouraged her to go play with some of the other Pokémon and try to make some friends. She nodded and bounced away toward a nearby Happiny and Munchlax. Trevor smiled and went back to chatting with the other Trainers.

Cate noticed that while everybody was socializing, the President's Stoutland was trotting around the room, sniffing and growling lowly. It stopped periodically to converse with the other Pokémon there. She saw the Stoutland stop in front of Celeste, and she grabbed Trevor and pointed it out. He saw that she looked nervous and ran to her side. She seemed instantly relieved when he knelt next to her. The Stoutland snuffed and trotted away to another Pokémon.

Trevor brought Celeste back to their table with the Plusle and Minun, and after a few minute, the President cleared his throat loudly at the front of the room.

"Your attention please, fellow Fan Club Members. It is time for the monthly giveaway. Darcy, bring out the prize." His assistant brought out a white Premiere Ball and opened it to show everyone the glum-looking Feebas. It was a sickly yellow color with gloomy eyes. "Yes, the rare Feebas. Who will the lucky winner be? Humphrey here has been observing and talking with your Pokémon. Who has he selected as the winner of this beautiful Feebas? Humphrey, do the honors."

The Stoutland hopped off of the raised dais and trotted straight for Trevor and Celeste. He circled around them once with all the pomp of a ribbon-winning dog. He then sat in front of them and barked once. Trevor looked around, confused, seeing if there was anyone else in his immediate vicinity. "What, me? I just got here."

"Regardless, young chap, Humphrey has chosen you. You must have quite a bond with that little Azurill there. Humphrey can smell it. You are worthy of our beautiful Feebas here. Come claim your prize!"

Trevor picked up Celeste and carried her up to the platform amidst the appluse of the other Members of the Fan Club. He received the hideous Feebas and its promotional Premiere Ball. He smiled sheepishly at Cate.


	9. Synthesis

_Apocalypse went to check on their supply of the symbiote. Despite the crash, its container remained secure. The mass of black substance continued to writhe. It was hungry. They'd kept it in this container for a long journey without food, without a host. It was ready to be unleashed._

_Ever since discovering the Venom symbiote, Apocalypse had wondered what would happen if he could attach it to a Pokémon host, the power that would create. Soon he would find out._

* * *

Cate and Trevor arrived at the Gym to find James waiting for them. He showed off his shiny new Synthesis Badge.

"No problem for my Fire types. Check it out."

"Nice!" complimented Trevor. "Any tips for us?"

"Nah, he's not too bad. Since this is your first Badge, his team is pretty easy. You don't have anything to worry about. Go ahead and challenge him."

As the two went up to face him, someone else entered the Gym. She was young, about their age, and dressed all in green with a matching cap.

"Hey, Dad!" she cried as she came in.

The Gym Leader came down from his desk at the end of the room. "Excuse me," he said to Cate and Trevor as he passed them. "I'll be right with you. Hello, Audrey. It looks like I have some challengers to battle. I'll be right with you. Just wait here."

"All right, Dad." She sat down next to James to wait. "Hi, I'm Audrey. My dad's the Leader here."

"I can see that. I just won this Badge from him." He couldn't resist a chance to show off the Badge. "I"m James."

The Leader turned back to Cate and Trevor. "Well, kids, you here to earn a Badge?"

"Yes, sir," responded Cate. "We are."

"Well, then, let's get to business. Right this way. My name is Gerard, and as you may have guessed, this is a Grass-type Gym. Who's first?"

Cate volunteered.

"All right, just scan your Pokédex over there, and we'll get started."

They walked to opposite sides of a battle court. It had stands of bamboo growing upwards out of it, and the court was littered with fallen leaves. A screen on the wall showed the statistics of the two battling Trainers.

"Looks like you don't have any Badges yet," Gerard said, examining his computer. "All right, then. I have my team selected. We will each use two Pokémon. Are you ready?"

Audrey hefted her first Pokéball in her hand. "Ready."

"Good. Go Shroomish!" Gerard threw a Pokéball and out came a little mushroom spore.

"Argo, you can do it!" She sent out her Mareep.

"Shroomish! Stun Spore!"

The Shroomish spun around, and orbs of green light started falling on Argo. He locked up as the spores paralyzed him.

"Argo! Fight through the paralysis! Use Thunder Shock!"

The Mareep tried to gather energy for his next attack but couldn't move.

"Now that he's paralyzed, get a Leech Seed on him."

The Shroomish shot out more green balls of energy. They stuck to Argo and coalesced into seeds that started draining the life force out of him.

"Come on, Argo! You can do it! Thunder Shock!"

Argo shrugged off the paralysis and launched a barrage of electricity toward Shroomish. On the big screen, she could see Shroomish's health drop dangerously low. Then the Shroomish attacked with a Mega Drain attack as the Leech Seed continued to sap Mareep's health. The screen showed Argo's health go down as Shroomish's crawled back up.

"Finish him, Argo! Another Thunder Shock!"

This electric attack dropped Gerard's Shroomish, and he was recalled back to his Pokéball.

"Your turn, Seedot!"

Gerard sent out his second Pokémon, a little acorn with feet. Argo moved to attack him, gathering electricity in his wool. When he shot out the bolts of electricity, it hit an invisible wall in front of Seedot.

"Good Protect, Seedot!" called Gerard.

Meanwhile, the Leech Seed kept draining Argo's energy. Before he could land another hit, his health dropped all the way down. Cate had to recall him and send out her Joltik.

"Seedot, use an Energy Ball!"

The tiny yellow spider easily avoided the incoming ball of energy and started spinning a web of electricity. It gathered the electricity between its jaws and then started launching it outwards, spinning it into a web. It caught the Seedot and pinned it to the ground.

"Way to go, Joltik!" Cate cried, jumping in the air. "Finish him with a Slash attack!" she commanded, noting that the Seedot's health was low from the Electro Web. Joltik skittered along the web while the Seedot struggled to escape. The Joltik raised its tiny claws and slashed them down, ending the fight. The Electro Web faded, and Gerard recalled Seedot.

"Congratulations, Trainer. You have earned the Synthesis Badge. As I told James earlier, you are now officially a Challenger of the Pokémon League. Expect your Gym Battles to get harder from here on out. Let me update your Pokédex and get me your Badge. Meanwhile, prepare yourself, Trainer." He addressed this command to Trevor, who had been waiting in the wings.

Trevor took his spot at the Challenger's podium, nervous about his chances. He only had his sweet little Celeste and Feebas, a Water-type. He knew that they had come to this Gym first because James knew he'd have an easy time with it, but that worked against Trevor's Pokémon. He's have to give it all he had.

Gerard finished attending to Cate and prepared to battle. His Pokéballs had been in a healing machine while they had been getting ready, so he withdrew them once they were finished.

"Ready? Go, Shroomish!"

"Feebas, let's see what you can do," Trevor mused as he threw out his new Premiere Ball. It flopped lazily on the floor disappointingly. "Oh, boy…we'll see how this goes."

Shroomish started with a Stun Spore again, but Feebas miraculously avoided it, probably due to its excessive flailing. It responded with a Tackle attacking, catapulting itself into the unsuspecting Shroomish. It took off a good chunk of health with the attack. Shroomish, once reoriented, lunged at Feebas with a powerful Headbutt, knocking it completely off the stadium floor.

"Heh...well, better than I expected, I guess," Trevor admitted. "It's up to you now, Celeste! I know you can do it," he said encouragingly.

Azurill hopped out of her Pokéball, and remarkably, she wasn't crying. She looked determined.

"Azurill, don't use any of your Water attacks. They're weak against Grass." Trevor fervently hoped that he was right. "You need to use...a Flying attack? Yeah, Flying. Focus on your Bounce attack."

Azurill got hit squarely by another of Shroomish's Headbutt attacks, but listening to Trevor, responded with a Bounce. She bounced high into the air and then, as she came down, smacked the Shroomish with her tail, knocking it out. Next out came Seedot.

"Yes! Way to go, Celeste! That was wonderful!"

Celeste turned around to smile at Trevor, and as she did, she started glowing a faint white. She started to grow in size, and as the glow started to fade, Trevor saw that Celeste had evolved into a Marill. She still had her trademark, a blue ball at the end of a zigzag tail. But she was bigger and more mouse-like, with big ears and a big grin plastered on her face. She looked happier and more confident.

"Celeste, you look great! You're the best. Now go finish this battle!"

Celeste, now a Marill, started a Rollout attack. She curled into a ball and threw herself at the Seedot. Once she did, she turned around and did it again. Before Seedot could ever gain enough composure to launch an attack, it was hit again by Celeste, rolling madly around the stadium. It only took a few of these wild hits to knock out the Seedot.

"Yes! Celeste, that was amazing!" Trevor fell to his knees and embraced Celeste. "Thanks. I knew you could do it."

Gerard grinned. "Young Trainer, that is quite the bond you have with your Pokémon. You two are going to do great things, trust me. And don't give up on that Feebas. I know how it looks now, but continue to show it the love you've shown your Marill here. Now come on, let's get you your Badge."

As he was finishing up their paperwork, his daughter Audrey came running up to them.

"Dad, dad, you know how I'm officially a Pokémon Trainer and I have a Pokémon and I'm ready to challenge Gyms and collect Badges but you've said it's too dangerous to go out by myself? Remember?"

He looked at her warily. "Yes…"

"Well, these Trainers seem really good, and I was thinking that if I went with them, that would be a good way to start my journey as a Pokémon Trainer. Right? I mean, they all got the Badge from you. They know what they're doing."

"Yes...I suppose you're right. They are all remarkable Trainers. And I know that we've been waiting for a good time for you to leave. I guess now is as good as any."

"Oh, thank you! Thank you!" She hugged him excitedly.

"As long as it's all right with them," he cautioned sternly.

James quickly piped up. "Oh, it's all right with us."

Cate couldn't help but notice that he was blushing slightly.

Gerard explained to the Trainers. "My daughter is ready to challenge the Pokémon League, but I didn't want to send her out by herself. Do you all mind if she travels with you?"

"No, that sounds great," responded Cate as Trevor and James nodded.

"I've been impressed with all of you today. You'll be great companions for my daughter. Take care of her."

"We will," said James enthusiastically.

"Well then, I'll put you up in the Pokémon Center for the night while I get Audrey prepared. You can all leave in the morning. I'd recommend you head to Canopy Town. It's also in the Savannah, and you can get the Vortex Badge there."


	10. Plotting

_Yes, this planet had very strange creatures. Apocalypse had encountered a flying sentinel. A sphere with eyes and wings. It flew, or more accurately, it patrolled in straight lines, back and forth. He pulled out a cartouche of soft clay. He inscribed a spell on the surface of the cartouche, an imprisoning spell. He sketched an outline of the sentinel creature. He then breathed life into the cartouche, activating its magic. He pointed it at the creature and watched as it was sucked into the cartouche. The outline began to glow, signifying that the creature was inhabiting the prison that was made for it._

_Thus Apocalypse caught his first Pokémon._

* * *

Apocalypse and his Four Horsemen were gathered in Saul's office in the Team Celestial HQ. He had also brought thirteen of his most trusted soldiers. He was explaining the situation to them.

"As Saul has mentioned, there are 18 Types of Pokémon. Each has a Gym here, and the Gyms are where the populace receives their leadership and protection. We need to take these Gyms. That is why there are eighteen of us here. Each of you will take a Gym. Is that understood?"

They nodded.

"But as you are well aware, you might not find yourself as powerful as you once did. That is the result of two powerful lunar Pokémon. They attacked us to protect their planet. However, I know that you are more than your superhuman abilities. I trust you not because you have power but because you are capable, loyal soldiers. You don't need your powers to take these Gyms. Instead, you need Pokémon, and Team Celestial has agreed to supply us accordingly. We will then use our symbiote to enhance them so that we can compete with the Gym Leaders. Saul."

Saul took his turn. "Yes, we at Team Celestial are very interested in your endeavor. We will supply you with what you need to take these Gyms. This takeover is...let's just say that it's a change in leadership that we're interested in supporting. So let's get to the presentation of the Pokémon. Master Apocalypse, we will of course begin with you." He presented him with a Pokéball. He opened it to find a calm, cool, majestic Pokémon. White fur, claws, and a black sickle shape protruding from the side of its predatorial face.

"This is Absol. Harbinger of disaster and catastrophe. I thought it...appropriate. I hope it pleases you, Master Apocalypse."

"It does. Thank you, Saul. She's perfect."

Namor, the proud Atlantean King, presented himself next. His Pokémon was a large, hulking alligator, cobalt blue with a red crest of spiked plates. His massive jaws housed razor-sharp teeth.

"His name is Feraligatr. A true ruler of the seas, like yourself."

Namor smiled wickedly.

Next was Dark Beast, Apocalypse's Horseman of War. Hank McCoy from darker timeline, he was incredibly intelligent and equally ferocious.

Saul gave him his Pokémon. "Dr. McCoy, here is your Zoroark. A dark wolf, a fierce predator and master of illusions." Standing before him was a tall, lithe, bipedal wolf with streaked black and red fur. As he was watching, the Zoroark vanished from sight, reappearing as a Feraligatr, then as an Absol, mimicking the other two Pokémon. It then returned to its original form.

"Lovely. Thank you, Saul," Dark Beast said politely.

Viper, Horseman of Pestilence, strode forward sultrily to receive her Pokémon. She was not surprised when she opened her Pokéball to find a long, sinuous serpent with a red arrowhead tail.

"She's called Seviper. She uses deadly poison. I think you can relate," suggested Saul.

She smiled and let the Pokémon crawl up her and around her neck and arms.

Apocalypse nudged forward his final Horseman. Death.

Squirrel Girl, Bringer of Death, Destroyer of Worlds, came to receive her Pokémon.

"Master Apocalypse, I was somewhat surprised when I saw who you chose as Death, but I think I found something fitting. Don't judged based on appearances. She can be quite formidable, as I'm sure your Squirrel Girl is."

She opened the proffered Pokéball, and a little white and yellow squirrel hopped out. She had a sort of cape stretched between her arms and legs that could be used for gliding.

"This little thing is Emolga," Saul explained. "She's an electric squirrel. She's small and unassuming, but if you use her correctly, she will wreak havoc on your foes."

Squirrel Girl tossed her new Pokémon in the air and watched it glide back down in spirals, landing on her shoulder.

"Well, it looks like you're all equipped, at least you and your Horsemen," Saul said to Apocalypse. "We'll start getting Pokémon ready for the rest of your soldiers. In the meantime, I suppose we should go over the basics of the plan."

"Yes. Very well. So," he said, turning to his gathered soldiers, "the Horsemen and I will be taking out the Elite Four and the Pokémon Champion. However, they are very safely sequestered in Champion's Plateau. So we will need to draw them out. That means that you will all need to act first. We will launch a coordinated strike against all the Gym Leaders. That's thirteen Gyms, and we'll need to hit them all at once. That will cause enough chaos that the Elite Four and Champion will have to come investigate and try to set things straight. That's when we'll ambush them. So we'll have two bases of operation. First, we'll take over the League Headquarters at Champion's Plateau. Additionally, we'll operate out of here when we take over Axis City."


	11. Canopy

_Jack was out on a run, scouting the woods with Falcata and his other Pokémon. The woods were full of dangerous Pokémon and poachers, and Jack was keeping the peace. Keeping the humans safe from Pokémon, and keeping Pokémon safe from humans._

_He was in the treetops, running along branches, and scouring the ground below, looking for threats._

_A voice stopped him._

_It was Celebi._

Guardian, you must return to Cobweb Hollow. The Gym is in danger.

* * *

There were now four Trainers again in their little group. James, Cate, Trevor, and Audrey traveled on a long dirt path through the savannah. The sun beat hot overhead, and the savannah stretched out endlessly as far as they could see in every direction. They could see herds and packs of Pokémon off in the distance, and of course, James suggested that they find some to catch.

"Come on, guys, it looks like there are a lot of strong Pokémon here."

Trevor replied, exhausted, "Can't we just, like, rest? Or focus on getting to Canopy?"

"You heard what Audrey's dad said. Every Gym battle is going to get harder and harder. We need to train for this next badge. No better way than by battling. Plus, we'll need more Pokémon if we want to keep strengthening our teams. Come on, let's go hunting."

James went off running into the tall grass of the savannah, expecting the others to follow. They did, although Trevor did so somewhat reluctantly. James found a rocky outcropping overlooking a large flat plain.

"Okay, we're going to wait here and set up a trap for incoming Pokémon. Cate, have your Joltik get ready to use its web abilities. Audrey, what Pokémon do you have and how can we use them in this battle?"

"Well," she responded timidly, "I just have the Pokémon that my dad gave me. She's a Petilil. She's small, but she'll grow."

"Hmm, let me think. A Petilil. Will she know something like Sleep Powder?"

"Yeah, I think so. And Stun Spore."

"Perfect. As soon as some Pokémon enter that area down there, we need to hit them with all of our status ailments. Then we can go about catching them. I can have Shisa herd them so they don't get away. Look, here some come."

Coming into the ridge was a herd of Pokémon. Like a herd of antelope, horses, and deer, it was a mix of many Pokémon species. Zebstrika and Blitzle, Rapidash and Ponyta, Sawsbuck and Deerling, Girafarig, Stantler, Tauros, Bouffalant. They had evidently all formed some sort of beneficial herd relationship. It was soon evident why. A mighty roar echoed over the plains, and a fierce pack of Pyroar appeared. They charged at the herd, and the cornered Pokémon all began to scatter.

"Okay, change of plans," suggested James. "We let them scatter a bit, and then we'll swoop in and try to catch some of the stragglers. How does that sound?"

"That sounds pretty dangerous," objected Trevor. "What if those Pyroar try to attack us? What if there are too many Pokémon for us to battle? What if-"

"Shh. We're going to do this. And it's going to work out." He looked to Audrey and Cate for encouragement. They nodded hesitantly.

Cate responded, "Trevor's right that it's dangerous, but if we're smart about it, we can catch some good Pokémon. And save them from those Pyroar."

"Right. Okay, wait for my signal." James watched the ongoing attack with a predator's eye, waiting for their moment. Then he saw an opening. Most of the Pyroar had chased off the bulk of the herd, and hiding near the Trainers' outcropping was a small group of abandoned young. They had been cut off from their parents, and the Pyroar hadn't noticed them.

"Go go! Follow me. Remember what I said about status attacks. Start with that."

They leapt out of their hiding spot to find a Blitzle, Deerling, and Ponyta huddled against the outcropping. They were quickly hit with a Sticky Web, a Stun Spore, and a Sleep Powder.

"Trevor, Pyroar is a Fire-type. We'll need you to help defend if any of them decide to come back. Celeste should be able to put up a good fight."

Trevor gulped but nodded. He stood ready with Celeste and his poor Feebas. Behind him he could hear the sounds of Pokémon being caught as they were zapped into Pokéballs. In front of him he heard an angry roar. Bounding down from the outcropping of rock came a lithe female Pyroar, its sleek mane flowing back in the wind. The rest of the pride had moved on, but it looked like this one had found some new prey. It stalked toward Trevor.

"Celeste, protect us!" Trevor yelled desperately.

The Marill started creating big droplets of water that began to orbit the group. They started orbiting quickly and turned into a series of Aqua Rings. They pulsed gently, protecting the Trainers and their Pokémon.

"Yes! Okay Celeste, hit her with an Aqua Jet!"

The Pyroar growled hungrily at the group from outside the ring. From the safety of their water shelter, Celeste fired a torrent of water at their hunter. It didn't faint her, but it was enough to make her leave for easier prey.

James clapped Trevor on the shoulder. "Way to go, man. That was great."

"Heh, well, I didn't really know what I was doing. Celeste did most of the work." Trevor shrugged embarrassedly.

"I thought you did great," said Cate.

Audrey interjected, "Well, let's get ourselves to the next town. We've got some new Pokémon, I think we're ready for another Badge!"

They arrived to find a city in chaos. Its inhabitants were running amok as white-uniformed grunts were trying to round them up and take their Pokéballs. The center of the confusion was the Pokémon Gym. The Canopy Gym was a Flying type Gym, and perched on top of it was a wizened old man with an aquiline nose. He was dressed in a dark green suit with wings attached to the arms. Perched alongside him was a Pokémon, a vulture, a cruel-looking bird with a bone in its feathers. Cate thought it was a Mandibuzz, but it looked different. It had the right form but seemed to be made of black slime. Its talons were long and razor sharp. Its wings extended further than they should because of the way the slime reached out in grasping tendrils.

"This is wrong." Cate said in a hushed tone. "That Pokémon is wrong." She nodded to the black Mandibuzz.

"Yeah, and who's that guy?" James asked as the vulture-like man continued to survey the savagery from his post.

"Um, guys, run!" Trevor shouted, pulling Cate toward him as he ran off. They were being followed by a pair of Celestial grunts.

"Harry, stop those kids!" the female agent said to her partner.

"Way ahead of you, Tracy," he said smugly.

Before any of the Trainers had a chance to wonder what that meant, a dark blur sped past them, knocking them over.

Harry pumped his fist. "Haha, yes! Good Pursuit, Snikt!"

The Trainers looked up to see a Sneasel standing in front of them while the two grunts approached from behind. "Get in a circle, back to back; Pokémon out!" said James, quickly taking charge. "Shisa, Fire Spin to stop those two from getting closer! Someone will have to deal with that Sneasel."

"Sleipzle!" called Cate, sending out her new Blitzle against the Sneasel. He was followed by Audrey's little bulb-like Petilil.

"Good. Now Trevor, help us again with that Aqua Ring."

"Will do."

The Sneasel lunged in toward the Petilil with its razor claws. Cate's Blitzle moved wickedly fast to intercept the blow, tackling Sneasel to the ground.

"Hmm," the female grunt sneered. "Well, Harry, these kids are putting up something of a fight now, aren't they? More than anybody else in this town. Go, Bamf." She lazily tossed a Pokéball in front of her, and a floating yellow fox rose up off of the ground.

The two Trainers were now surrounded, the two grunts and an Abra in front of them and a Sneasel in back. The Sneasel was trying to cut down the Petilil with an ice attack, barely staying ahead of Sleipzle. Meanwhile, the Abra was placing a Light Screen to further trap them in.

"Shisa, you need to break through that Light Screen! Take Down!"

As Petilil was readying a powder attack to paralyze the Sneasel, it feinted left then quickly darted in to the right with an Ice Punch, knocking out Petilil.

"No!" yelled Audrey, calling back her Petilil into its Pokéball.

As Sneasel was gloating, the black electric zebra knocked him down and pinned him to the ground, angrily sending electricity coursing through him. Cate looked shocked.

"Yes! Er-oh, okay, that's enough, Sleipzle. He's down. Sleipzle, stop!"

Harry looked like he was holding back tears. "Return, Snikt…"

"Now's our chance to run!" yelled Audrey.

"No, we need to stop them from attacking anyone else. I'm almost through the Light Screen."

"Harry, it's time to get out of here. Hold on to me. Bamf, Teleport." The Light Screen vanished, and so did the two grunts with their Abra.

"Crap, they got away." James clenched his fist. "Okay, so these people are part of the same group we saw back in the forest and back in Axis City. They're attacking the city and taking away people's Pokémon. We need to stop them. Mainly, we need to stop the old vulture man, he seems to be in charge of this. Everybody be ready, especially you, Cate. We'll need your Electric types for sure."

The group started sneaking from building to building, approaching the Pokémon Gym in the center of town. There was a battle happening around the Gym. There was a kid who looked to be about their age riding a large metallic quadruped. He seemed to be one of the only people who still had his Pokémon with him. He was surrounded by the white-clothed grunts and their Pokémon. His Lairon was thrashing back and forth, trying to fend them all off.

"Come on, let's go help him!" yelled James, rushing forward. "Go Epona!" He threw his new Ponyta out in front of him. "Go, Flame Charge into the group and try to disperse them."

She was followed by Sleipzle and Audrey's new Deerling. The three Pokémon charged forward, giving the boy and his Lairon some room to breathe.

"Uh, thanks, guys! I'm Aaron. Nice to meet you. Okay, now let's kick some butt!"

The battle raged only briefly, until the vulture motioned to his shadowy, slimy Mandibuzz. It spread its wings menacingly, its bone adornment a striking white contrast to the blackness of its body. It dove at the Trainers and started battering their Pokémon. Shisa ran up the back of the Lairon and jumped off in a fiery tackle, but he was knocked straight down to the ground. Lairon started kicking up rocks at it, but it deflected them with its wings. It flew up, circled around, and then fell in a dive straight for Deerling. Before it could attack, suddenly a mat was lifted up, shielding the whole team of Trainers. The dark Mandibuzz was then distracted by a barrage of Water Shurikens.

A mysterious man in blue armor appeared next to them. "Come, with me. Greninja, come." He hit a button on his wrist, and they all teleported away.


End file.
